Registering mechanism



H. LITTLE' REGISTERINGMECHANIS'M March 2, 1937.-

Filed March 7, 1935 INVENTOR."

Patented Mar. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES ZMZASQ PATENT OFFICE REGISTERING MECHANISM Application March 7,

15 Claims.

This invention relates to registering mechanism to be employed in machines of the type disclosed in Patent No. 1,832,255, granted November 17, 1931, to John F. Springstead, for accurately placing register marks on printing cylinders, and particularly photogravure printing cylinders.

Accurate registry is mandatory in rotary photogravure printing, especially multi-color rotary photogravure printing, wherein a number of separate impressions in different colors are usually made. A separate cylinder is employed for each color and the images that are etched on the several cylinders must be located very accurately in order to insure proper register in printing. In the preparation of the form cylinders for photogravure printing, the form for each page is printed on a sheet of sensitized tissue from which it is transferred to the surface of the form cylinder and subsequently etched into the cylinder surface. Register marks are drawn on the tissue sheet on the margin space, and a marking machine is provided for marking circumferential and longitudinal lines on the peripheral surface of the cylinder, and when the register marks on the tissue sheets are alined with the marks on the cylinder surface, the tissue sheets are then correctly positioned to insure that the images are transferred therefrom to the printing cylinder surface to produce accurately registered printing.

In the marking machines, such as disclosed in the Springstead Patent No. 1,832,255, the longitudinal marks are drawn along the peripheral surface of the form cylinder by sliding a carriage along a rail which is arranged parallel to the axis of the cylinder, and the carriage supports a stylus which engages the periphery of the cylinder. The cylinder is held against rotation by a spring-pressed registering or index pin which snaps into engagement with a circular registering aperture formed in a hand wheel which is suitably secured to the cylinder. To produce the circumferential marks around the periphery of the cylinder, the carriage is locked in a selected position with the stylus in engagement with the periphery of the cylinder and the cylinder is then manually rotated by rotating the hand wheel. A spring-pressed registering or index pin is also employed to lock the carriage in fixed position by snapping into a circular registering or index ap erture. In existing machines, the registering or index apertures must be very accurately located with relation to the direction of rectilinear motion of the stylus carriage and stylus and the ro tary motion of the hand wheel, and also with rela tion to the extent of required motion of the stylus 1935, Serial N0. 9,865

carriage or hand Wheel. If a registering or index aperture is accurately located to correctly determine the extent of desired or required motion of the stylus carriage or rotary motion of the hand wheel and printing cylinder, but is not located accurately in the line of motion of the registering pin, then the pin can not enter the aperture and it is necessary to relocate the aperture, if possible, or to provide a new machine component. Furthermore, it is frequently necessary in multi-color printing to place suitable marks on the form cylinder in order to produce locating or registering points, and, therefore, an object of this invention is to provide registering devices to be employed in printing cylinder marking machines for accurately locating the marking'tool with relation to the form cylinder periphery and for producing cruciform registering marks thereon by a single stamping or marking operation.

Another object of my present invention is to provide a removable index or registering plug and yieldable index or registering pin to be employed in printing cylinder marking machines, each index plug having a flat surface to be engaged by a fiat surface formed on the cooperating registering pin to accurately locate the stylus or marking tool carriage of the marking machine with relation to the periphery of the printing cylinder.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a registering device for use in the printing cylinder marking machine in which removable index plugs are provided for cooperation with yieldable index pins, each index plug having flat surfaces disposed in perpendicular relation to the direction or motion of the stylus carriage or plug supporting portion of the printing cylinder turning hand wheel, and each registering or index pin having a fiat surface for engaging the fiat surface of the index plug to thereby insure accurate register or engagement of the pin with the plug, and each pin and plug having inclined flat surfaces in. opposition to the registering fiat surfaces to force the registering flat surfaces into accurate engagement with each other.

A further object of this invention is to provide a reversible index or registering plug having a recess in which a registering surface is located to cooperate with an index or registering pin to accurately locate a component of a cylinder marking machine, and to present a smooth surface to the entrance terminal of the registering pin when the index or registering plug is secured in reverse position in its supporting component to prevent the registering pin from entering the recess.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a spring-pressed index or registering pin or plunger to be employed in printing cylinder marking machines, and improved .means for operably mounting the pin and for looking it against registering movement under the influence of its actuating spring. i

It is also an object of this invention to provide for use in cylinder marking machines, registering and marking devices of generally improved construction, whereby they will be simple, durable and inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient, practical, serviceable and efficient in their use.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will appear as the. description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts, and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that various changes in form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any advantages of the invention.

For a complete disclosure of the invention, a detail description of improved registering and marking mechanism to be employed in machines for accurately placing register marks on printing cylinders will now be given in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmental end view of a cylinder marking machine having a photogravure printing cylinder rotatably mounted therein;

Figure 2 is a fragmental side elevation of the marking head and carriage of a printing cylinder marking machine. the view being taken in the direction of arrow 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 through the registering or index pin or plunger and its supporting mechanism;

Figure 4 is a fragmental sectional view taken on the line ll of Figure 1, and depicting the registering plunger which engages the index or hand wheel;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the ph-otogravure printing cylinder which is to be marked by the marking machine;

Figure 6 is a plan View of one of the registering or index plugs;

Figure 7 is a fragmental vertical section view taken through the index plug supporting member, the plug being shown in side elevation;

Figure 8 is a fragmental vertical sectional View taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure '7, but showing the registering or marking plug in reversed position;

Figure 10 is a side elevation of the. marking terminal of the improved cylinder marking tool; and

Figure 11 is an end view of the marking terminal of the improved marking tool.

Referring to the drawing, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts, there is depicted a printing cylinder marking machine of the type disclosed in Patent No. 1,832,255, granted November 17, 1931, to J. F. Springstead.

The present machine includes a supporting frame [2, having spaced hinged bearings M for the rotatable reception of a printing cylinder l6, and, in the present instance, a photogravure printing or form cylinder is shown. This cylinder is rotatably mounted in the bearings and is secured in the machine in the manner well understood by those skilled in the art and disclosed in the Springstead Patent No. 1,832,255. In the preparation of the cylinder for photogravure printing, the entire form for a predetermined number of pages is printed on a sheet of sensitized tissue from which it is transferred to the peripheral surface of the form cylinder and subsequently etched into this surface, or the form for each page may be produced on a separate sheet and then transferred to the cylinder surface and etched. Suitable register marks are drawn on the tissue sheet in the margin space, and these marks register with suitable marks made on the peripheral surface of the cylinder by a marking stylus such as is disclosed in the Springstead patent and to be hereinafter referred to. When the form is complete on one sheet, only one longitudinal line is drawn on the cylinder surface and the edge of the sheet is placed in register with it, and the correct position of the sheet axially along the cylinder may be determined by registering the marks on the margin of the sheet with a circumferential mark on the cylinder. Where there are several pages around the cylinder and a separate sheet is provided for each page, a plurality of longitudinal llnes are drawn along the cylinder surface and the edge of each sheet registered with a line. In some cases of multi-color printing, register marks are placed on the cylinder in the form after the carbon tissue is removed, and applicant provides means for producing such mark by a single markmg or stamping operation, as will be hereinafter disclosed.

A marker head I 8 is slidable longitudinally of the machine and parallel to the axis of the rotatable cylinder H5 in suitable slide ways 20 supported by a carriage 22. The carriage 22 is also slidable longitudinally of the machine and parallel to the axis of the printing cylinder on a rail or slideway 24 supported by the machine frame. A stylus 26 is yieldably mounted for axial movement within the marker head 3, as here disclosed and also disclosed in the Springstead Patent No. 1,832,255. This stylus is biased or stressed toward the printing cylinder I 6 so that its pointed terminal yieldably engages the surface of the cylinder. In order to accurately locate the marker head and stylus in predetermined positions along the rail 24, this rail is provided with cylindrical apertures 28 for the reception of cylindrical index or registering plugs 30. These plugs provide a feature of this invention, and in addition to being positioned in the apertures 28 formed in the rail or carriage way 24 they also are positioned in apertures 32 formed in the outer rim portion of an index or hand wheel 34 which is suitably secured to the shaft 35 of the printing cylinder I B, as is disclosed in the Springstead Patent No. 1,832,255, and also understood by those skilled in the art. The registering or index plugs 30 are provided with registering or index surfaces, which will be hereinafter described, which are to be engaged by registering surfaces formed on suitable plungers, which will also be hereinafter disclosed. One of the plungers 3.5 is slidably mounted in a. tubular support or sleeve 38 which is rigidly secured to the marker carriage 22 by positioning its lower terminal in an aperture 39 and securing the terminal therein by a set screw or other suitable securing device 40, as best shown in Figure 3. An annular flange 42 extends outwardly from the upper terminal of the sleeve 38, and this flange is engaged by the upper terminal of a helical compression spring 44, While the lower terminal of the spring engages an annular flange 46 extending inwardly from the lower terminal of a cylindrical shell or housing 48. The upper terminal of the cylindrical shell 48 is secured to a disk or head 66 by a suitable pin 52 which pro- .jects through the shell into the head. A reduced stem 54 extends from the upper terminal of a locating or fitting pin 65 extends through the head 56 into the upper terminal of the plunger 36 to accurately aline the components of the plunger mechanism, as will be hereinafter more fully disclosed. One of the plungers 36 is also operably mounted on a bracket member 66 secured to the machine frame l2, as indicated at 68. The plunger and supporting mechanism carried by the bracket 66 are identical in construction and operation with the plunger and supporting mechanism which are secured to the marker slide.

Registering plungers and apertures have been heertofore employed in cylinder marking machines and similar machinery, but their use has not been entirely satisfactory owing to the extreme difiiculty in accurately locating the index or registering apertures to properly receive the index terminal of the registering plunger in correct position. This difficulty, however, is overcome by the present invention in which the cylindrical index plugs 36 are provided, and each plug has a flat surface 68 formed therein and extending parallel to the axis of the plug and preferably spaced about midway between the axial and peripheral portions thereof, as indicated in Figures 1, 7, 8, 9 and 10. An angularly disposed or inclined flat surface 16 is formed at the opposed side of the plug in spaced relation to the surface 68, and this angularly disposed surface 16 is preferably inclined at an angle at about to the axis of the plug. The flat surfaces 68 and 16 extend inwardly into the plug substantially half the axial dimension of the plug, thereby forming a recess 69 therebetween, and their lower terminals are undercut, as indicated at 12, in order that the fiat surface may be machined and ground to accurate dimensions. A slot or recess 14 extends axially through the peripheral portion of the plug 36 for the reception of a securing member or pin 16 which is threaded into either the carriage way or rail 24 or into the rim of the index or registering wheel 34, thereby securing the registering plugs to these components. If preferred the securing pins 16 and receiving slots 14 may be tapered to secure the plugs 36 against axial movement within its receiving aperture 32, although this arrangement is not mandatory, inasmuch as the principal function of the securing pin 16 is to secure the plug against angular or turning movement within its receiving aperture. In order to provide for the removal of each plug 36 from its receiving aperture 32, an axial threaded aperture 18 is formed in the lower or inner portion of the plug, and a suitable threaded rod or tool, not shown, may be screwed into the aperture 16 to remove the plug 36 from its apertures 32 or 28.

The lower or inner terminal of each registering pin or plunger 36 is provided with a reduced head 86 having a flat surface 82 which is arranged parallel to the axis of the registering pin or plunger 36. At the opposed side of the head 86 there is formed a fiat surface 84 which is preferably inclined about 5 to the axis of the registering plunger, and the inclined fiat surface 84 and axially extending flat surface 82 are spaced apart a distance equal to the space between the inclined flat surface 16 and axially extending flat surface 68 of each registering plug 36. In order to produce color register marks, hereinbefore referred to, on the peripheral surface of the form cylinder an improved stylus 26a is provided, as shown in Figures and 11, and this stylus is arranged to be supported in the stylus supporting mechanism in conformity with the usual practice. Its outer terminal has spaced grooves or recesses 86 machined therein to form a cruciform marking edge 88, so that when the stylus 26a is moved to impinge the surface of the cylinder, a cruciform mark, as indicated at 90 in Figure 5, is produced on the peripheral surface of the printing cylinder.

In the operation of the cylinder marking machinein preparing a cylinder for photogravure printing, the longitudinal register marks are made on the peripheral portion of the printing cylinder l6 by permitting the head 86 of the registering pin or plunger 36 carried by the bracket 66 to move into engagement with an index plug 36 carried by the rim of the index or hand wheel 34, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, thereby locking the cylinder against rotation, and then moving the marker head or slide l8 longitudinally along the rail or slide way 24, thus causing the stylus 26 to inscribe a longitudinally extending line on the cylinder surface. Circumferential marks are formed on the cylinder surface by permitting the index pin or plunger carried by the marker carriage 22 to move into engagement with a selected index plug 36 positioned in the rail 24, and the registering plunger which engages the index plugs carried by the rimof the index or hand wheel 34 is released and the cylinder is then rotated, thereby causing the stylus 26 to inscribe a circumferential line. Instead of employing the stylus 26 for producing longitudinal and circumferential registeringmarks, the stylus 26 may be removed from the stylus supporting head I8 and the marking tool or stylus 26a, inserted in its place. By forcing the stylus 26a in engagement with the periphery of the cylinder l6, its cruciform marking edge 88 will produce cruciform marks 96 thereon, which are employed in multi-color printing for registering or locating points for the sheets of sensitized tissue to insure accurate registration of the superposed colors. After the sensitized tissue sheets are properly registered on the periphery of the cylinder, the image printed on the tissue sheet is transferred to the cylinder and subsequently etched into the cylinder surface in conformity with the usual practice.

The registering operation requires absolute accuracy, and applicant's improved registering components greatly aid in securing this accuracy. The registering plugs 36 are secured to the marker carriage rail or slide way 24 by inserting the securing pins 16 which locates the plugs 36 so that their flat surfaces 68 are accurately disposed in perpendicular relation to the direction of motion of the marker carriage, and the index plugs which are secured to the rim of the index or hand wheel 34 are so secured that their fiat surfaces 68 are also disposed perpendicularly to the direction of their motion. Each registering pin or plunger 36 is mounted so that its flat surface 82 is disposed perpendicular to the direction of motion of the marker slide or the direction of motion of the peripheral portion of the hand wheel. 82 of each registering pin is correctly located, the locating or fitting pin 65 is not positioned until after the fiat surface 82 of the registering pin engages the flat surface 68 of its cooperating index or registering plug 30. After the fiat surfaces 82 and 68 are forced to engagement by the engagement of the inclined surfaces 84 and 10 the receiving aperture for the pin 65 is drilled and the pin 65 is then inserted, thus insuring accurate alinement of the index or registering surfaces In order to remove the registering head 80 from engagement with its cooperating registering plug 30 the knob or handle 56 is manipulated by the operator to move the registering pin or plunger 36 outwardly against the influence of its spring 44 until the pin 62 is withdrawn from the slot 60. The knob is then slightly rotated or turned, thus causing the pin 62'to move from alinement with the slot 60, and the outer end of the pin engages the flange 42 of the sleeve 38, thereby holding the registering pin 36 against inward motion. In certain usage of the cylinder marking machine, hereinbefore explained, it is not necessary to employ all of the locating positions of the registering plugs carried by the hand or index wheel, and when selected locations are not required the selected registering or index plug 30 is removed from its aperture 32 and again secured therein in reversed position. In this position the smooth fiat bottom surface 52 of the plug is presented flush with the surface of the hand wheel 34 which prevents the registering pin entering the recess 69 but permits the outer terminal of the head 80 of the registering pin 36 to freely slide along the surface 92 of the reversed registering plug. It is of course to be understood that the registering plugs 30 carried by the carriage rail 24 may be also reversed if the full number of registering positions are not required.

By disposing the registering surface 68 of the registering plugs and the surfaces 82 of the registering pins at right angles or perpendicular to the line or direction of motion of the moving machine components, it is not mandatory that the plugs be located with extreme accuracy in the line of motion. If a registering plug 30 should be positioned slightly to either side of the line of motion of the movable component, the registering surfaces 68 and 82 will still accurately aline, and the movable component will be acurately positioned at the required point in the line of motion.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a registering device, a fixed component, a movable component, a registering pin movably supported by one of the components and having a flat registering surface formed thereon, a detachable member secured to the other component and having a fiat registering surface to be engaged by the fiat registering surface of the registering pin to accurately position one component in definite relation to the other, and means for securing the detachable member in predetermined angular relation to its supporting component to In order to insure that the fiat surface,

insure the accurate registering engagement of the said flat registering surfaces.

2. In a registering device, a fixed component,

a movable component, a detachable member inserted in and secured to one of the components and having a fiat registering surface and an inclined surface, a registering pin movably supported by one of the components and having a fiat registering surface and an inclined surface, the inclined surfaces coacting to force the registering surfaces into engagement when the registering pin is moved to move the inclined surfaces toward each other, and means for securing the detachable member in predetermined angular relation to its supporting component to insure the accurate registering engagement of the said flat registering surfaces.

3. In a registering device, a fixed component, a movable component, one of the components having an aperture formed therein, a registering plug secured within the aperture and having a fiat registering surface formed thereon, a registering pin movably supported by the other components and having a fiat registering surface to. engage the fiat registering surface of the registering plug to accurately position one component in definite relation to the other.

4. In a registering device, a fixed component, a movable component, one of the components having an aperture formed therein, a registering plug secured within the aperture and having a registering surface and an inclined surface, a registering pin movably supported by the other component and having a registering surface and an inclined surface, the inclined surfaces coacting to force the registering surfaces into engagement when the registering pin is moved to move the inclined surfaces toward each other.

5. In a registering device, a fixed component, a movable component, one of the components having an aperture formed therein, a registering plug secured Within the aperture and having a flat registering surface and a spaced inclined surface, a registering pin movably supported by the other component and having a flat registering surface and a spaced inclined surface, the inclined surfaces coacting to force the registering surfaces into an engagement when the registering pin is moved to move the inclined surfaces toward each other.

6. In a registering device, a fixed component, a movable component, one of the components having a cylindrical aperture formed therein, a cylindrical plug secured within the aperture and having a flat surface parallel to the axis of the plug and a spaced inclined flat surface formed therein, a cylindrical registering pin movably supported by the other component and having a flat surface parallel to the axis of the pin and a spaced inclined fiat surface formed thereon, the inclined surfaces coacting to force the said axially disposed surfaces into engagement when the registering pin is moved to move the inclined surfaces toward each other.

'7. In a marking device for printing cylinders, a fixed component, a movable component, a detachable member secured to one of the components and having a registering fiat surface and an inclined fiat surface, a registering pin movably supported by the other component and normally biased towards the detachable member and having a registering fiat surface and an inclined flat surface, the inclined flat surfaces coacting to force the registering fiat surfaces into engagement when the pin is moved to move the inclined flat surfaces toward each other, and means for securing the detachable member in predetermined angular relation to its supporting component to insure the accurate registering engagement of the said fiat registering surfaces.

8. In a marking device for printing cylinders, a fixed component, a movable component, a registering pin movably supported by one of the components and normally biased towards the other component and having a registering fiat surface and an inclined flat surface, a registering plug carried by and detachably secured in predetermined angular relation to the other component and having a registering fiat surface and an inclined flat surface, the inclined surfaces coacting to force the registering surfaces into engagement when the pin is moved to move the inclined surfaces toward each other, and means for securing the detachable member in predeterminedangular relation to its supporting component to insure the accurate registering engagement of the said fiat registering surfaces.

9. In a registering device, a fixed component, a component movable relative to the fixed component, one of the components having a cylindrical aperture formed therein, a cylindrical plug secured within the aperture and having a flat registering surface disposed perpendicular to the direction of motion of the movable component and a spaced inclined fiat surface, a cylindrical registering pin movably supported by the other component and having a flat registering surface parallel to the axes of the pin and a spaced inclined flat surface, the inclined surfaces coacting to force the registering surfaces into engagement when the registering pin is moved to move the inclined surfaces toward each other.

10. In a registering device, a fixed component, a movable component, a registering pin movably supported by one of the components and having a fiat registering surface formed thereon, the other component having a fiat registering surface to be engaged by the registering surface of the registering pin to accurately position one component in definite relation to the other, means for biasing the registering pin toward registering position, and interengaging members for holding the pin away from registering position against the influence of the biasing means.

11. In a registering device, a fixed component, a movable component, a registering pin movably supported by one of the components and having a flat registering surface formed thereon, the other component having a flat registering surface to be engaged by the registering surface of the registering pin to accurately position one component in definite relation to the other, means for biasing the registering pin toward registering position, means for holding the pin away from registering position against the influence of the biasing means, and means for accurately alining the registering surface of the registering pin with the registering surface of the other component.

12. In a registering device, a fixed component, a movable component, a registering pin movably supported by one of the components and biased towards the other component, the other component having an aperture formed therein, a reversible registering plug received within the aperture and having a recess formed therein to receive the registering pin and a suface to engage the registering pin when the plug is in reversed position in the aperture to prevent the pin from entering the recess. 13. In a registering device, a fixed component, a movable component, a registering pin movably supported by one of the components and biased towards the other component, the other component having an aperture formed therein, a reversible registering plug received within the aperture and having a recess formed therein, a registering surface and a terminal surface, the registering pin entering the recess to engage the registering surface when the registering plug is in one position in the aperture and the terminal surface engaging the register pin when the plug is in reversed position to permit the pin to slide over the plug.

14. A stylus device for use in cylinder marking machines, means for movably supporting the stylus, means for normally biasing the stylus to- Wards the cylinder to impinge the peripheral surface thereof, a cruciform marking terminal formed on the end of the stylus which is disposed towards the cylinder to produce a cruciform mark on the cylinder when the stylus terminal impinges the cylinder surface.

15. In a marking device for printing cylinders, a fixed component, a movable component, a detachable member carried by one of the components and having a fiat registering surface and a surface inclined relative to the fiat registering surface, a registering pin supported by the other component and axially movable relative thereto, the registering pin having an axially extending fiat registering surface and a surface inclined relative to the fiat registering surface, the inclined surfaces coacting to force the registering flat surfaces into registering engagement when the registering pin is moved to move the inclined surfaces toward each other, and means for securing the detachable member in predetermined angular relation to its supporting component to insure the accurate registering engagement of the said flat registering surfaces.

HARRY LITTLE. 

